Second attemptTwo hours ago we wrote a fresh story of our adventure so far and it got lost in "the air" as I tried to post our journal. So, it always loses some of the spontaneity. However, needs to be done.So here we go again. Left London in time on an great 330 airbus with a fantastic businessclass section that I have not seen before. Little private cubicles with total reclining seats, Very futuristic and very solitary as u r basically sitting on your own.Which will be great for the way back as we will be flying from Vancouver on an 13 hour flight and maybe fed up with each others company!! So, first glass of champagne to celebrate! Nice staff, excellent service. Brought lots of cashmirshawls and sweaters and cardigans in order NOT to be cold on these usually over-airconditioned flights. Contrary to our expectation it was warm, very warm. Good for me!! But Maria nearly evaporated in the heat.[see photo] Soot, we arrive after this easy six hour trip and sail through friendly customs and pick up big suitcases

. Me looking forward to meet my friend, Maria dreading it. And there he was in some of his glory, carrying two bunches of flowers and nearly crying. Hugs, hugs and more hugs and handing over of heavy suitcase to strong arm!hahaha. His old philipino friend will drive us to downtown Montreal! In a red pickup truck!! Cool! I will not forget Maria's face as she had to squeeze into the backseat that was basically a toolbox, with me and our cases lifted with great difficulty onto the truck standing tere for everyone to look at whilest we we driving through town. By now it was 8 p.m.o'clock. Stopped of at Ronaldo's appartment to have look. More suitcase lifting, luckily he lives in a basementflat. A bottle of Veuve C. was opened thet he saved for 14 years. Wauwee. Talking, laughing, looking, mostly at our watches as "our time" was now 3a.m.!!! And we were still awake.So, officially it is now thursday when I am typing this. So I will close this page and move to today. cu xxxxxxxSunday 17th... Two old ladies do Thelma & louise, without the car... or the cliff... and so our journey begins. Terminal 3 heaving with bodies, milling around , filthy, dirty concourse, no decent coffee anywhere to be seen, an over enthusiastic security to negotiate... all does not bode well for the journey. We discover to our surprise that we are hauling a combined weight of 62kg of clothes... ready for every eventuality except the warm weather that will greet us. In spite of packing NINE pairs of shoes, yer woman has managed to buy yet another pair in the three mimnutes we had in duty free, no change there then

. Air Canada have a secret weapon in crowd control, rack up the thermosat and quietly broil your customers into submission, it works. Most of the cabin remains in a catatonic state for the duration of the flight, lucky for those reclining seats. Montreal greets us with an Arrivals Hall crammed solid with weary and resigned people; which brings the first part of our journey to a familiar end. We are delighted to be greeted by a dear friend from the past, who has generously offered us a lift into Town. However, for reasons best known to himself, he has neglected to say it is in a cherry red Pick-up truck. Great for the monolithic suitcases but not for two weary (and one very long) ladies. The "back seats" would accommodate a pair od mice in luxury but presented a chalenge in the artof contortion for which we were ill prepared. We finally arrived at our destination, and, unwinding our legs from behind our ears, stepped out into the warm, balmy evening of Montreal City. xMia